Join us for a Thomas Jefferson Birthday Bash on this week's Cutting Edge Concert. Violinist Frank Almond and the Sirius Quartet, with narrator Gerard Doyle speaking Jefferson's own words, perform the world premiere of Victoria Bond's compelling concerto: "Soul of a Nation." The music is based on "La Folia" by Arcangelo Corelli, a cherished work in Jefferson's library, and the narration is written by Dr. Myles Lee. Also on the program, the Sirius Quartet performs compositions written by its members, as well as the premiere of "Hudson Spiral" by Kyle Gann.

Performers

Violinist Frank Almond holds the Charles and Marie Caestecker Concertmaster Chair at the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He continues an active schedule of solo and chamber music performances in the US and abroad, has been a member of the chamber group An die Musik in New York City since 1997, and also founded and directs the Frankly Music Chamber Series based in Milwaukee.

Born and bred in the downtown scene of New York City, the Sirius Quartet blends the precision of classical music with the raw energy of a rock band. The four conservatory-trained musicians are also highly skilled improvisers, and whether playing acoustic or electric, they push beyond the conventional sonic vocabulary associated with string instruments. From Lincoln Center and the Köln Triennale to the Knitting Factory and CBGB's, Sirius have taken their genre bending music to halls and clubs across the globe.

Gerard Doyle is a television and Broadway actor and an award-winning narrator of audio books, including Cresida Cowell's How to Train Your Dragon. His work includes recurring roles on the television series The Bill and Law and Order.

About Cutting Edge Concerts:Composer and conductor Victoria Bond is the founder and director of Cutting Edge Concerts New Music Festival. CEC has been called "a full-throttle commitment to contemporary music" by Chamber Music America, and "a gift to New Yorkers thirsty for new sounds" by Time Out New York. Now in its 18th season, highlights of this year's festival include the festival's debut with American Modern Ensemble at Subculture (April 6), a Thomas Jefferson Birthday Bash (April 13) featuring violinist Frank Almond and the Sirius Quartet performing world premieres, the Cutting Edge Concerts debut of Miho Hazama's m_unit jazz ensemble (April 20) and pianist Paul Barnes, and a staged workshop performance of Victoria Bond's opera Clara, inspired by the life of Clara Schumann (April 27) featuring Gramercy Trio. More information about the festival is at CuttingEdgeConcerts.org.

Note: All performances are at Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Symphony Space, except April 6 at SubCulture.